Nature Noir (CD)

Crystal Stilts

Amoeba Review

09/16/2013

Crystal Stilts' third album is their deepest, darkest listen yet. It starts with the droning beauty of "Spirit In Front of Me," as the band seems to stretch and awaken. "Star Crawl" nicely features singer Brad Hargett's disaffected croon and strings, which billow warmly underneath the band's lo-fi sound. If the first two songs feel like lost cuts from the Velvet Underground's third album, "Future Folklore" mirrors that band's early hedonistic thump. But for the most part, Nature Noir finds the band settling down a bit. "Sticks and Stones" benefits from the addition of a gleaming autoharp. "Memory Room" is lovely campfire folk with a killer bassline, and "Darken the Door" brings back some of the band's rock shuffle before things get too sleepy. Unlike the first couple of Crystal Stilts releases, Nature Noir isn't the kind of album with a few towering highlights; it's smoother, yet it also takes a few listens to get under your skin. But give it time, and it becomes apparent that it's another indelible release from the band.